Pokemon Hunter
by Syzdoth
Summary: Pokemon. They're great when you can control them, but a huge problem when they get outta hand. I deal with the latter.
1. New Job

The place was a hole. A hole inhabited by a bunch of lowlife Grimer-men. Grimer, not Muk. Muk can be troublesome and/or useful. Same with Grimer under the control of a Muk. But that there bar, nothing but a dingy hole. The walls looked like they'd been painted with mud. The music was old with crap quality. And I'd wager half my team on the bet that not one of those Grimer-men had a full set of teeth.

The guy was late, but then they usually were. When did the watch go out of fashion? When did it become fashionable to be late? I was irritated so a draped my waist-long sheets of jet black hair around my face. Something of a habit of mine. I smiled as I remembered a guy once telling me it made me look rather witchy. _Witches._ Known for their dark arts and their love for Murkrow, Noctowl, Croagunk, and Persian. As a child I was told there were witches in my bloodline, but I didn't believe they did anything but play with useless cauldrons and make shiny dust. Well, that's what I thought before Esmeralda told me otherwise.

Under my beaten and battered rum-stained table I felt Sable tense. She didn't move and she wasn't leaning against me that I coulda felt her tense, I just sensed it. Maybe that's cause I tensed too. An almost toothless lumberjack Grimer-man was making his way over to me; a wide toothless grin was almost hidden by his mess of beard hair. I watched him approach from underneath by black veil. This wasn't my guy.

"Well, aren't you a pretty little thing," the Grimer-man blubbered in his intoxicated tone. "And that Umbreon there, it's a cutie. Raised it yourself? What's its name, then?"

"Sable," I replied shortly. I deliberately turned my head away.

"Sable, eh?" he said as if cheered by my response. He obviously didn't take the hint. "Well, what a creative name for a beautiful girl's cute little Pokémon," he said with a grin as he leaned on my wobbly table. It's creaking led me to think it couldn't support more then a few pitchers.

"Sable means black," I said flatly. "I called my black coloured Pokémon who is a Dark type _black_. That sound like any smidgen of creativity to you, pops?"

I didn't give him a chance to offer some pathetically weak come back as Sable and I stood. I brushed one side of my veil hair behind my ear to properly glower at the man as I passed. My six-foot height easily towered over him and my heeled boots made me all the taller. Sable's ears twitched in irritation but she otherwise remained silently at my side. We slid to the other side of the dilapidated bar; not to avoid the lumberjack but to approach a new addition to the bar.

"Ez," I whispered as silently as possible. Many years of practice let me do so with only the faintest lip movements. "Is this the guy?" I waited for an answer but received none. I looked at Sable from the corner of my eye; my Umbreon could sense my Ghost's presence. Sable would know if she'd left. Her Umbreon ears twitched and she looked at a spot to my other side where there _appeared_ to be nothing.

"Ez, I know you're there," I said a little louder, but still not loud enough for anyone to hear. "Ez." I paused then sighed. "_Esmeralda_," I growled. "Is _this_ the _guy_."

There was the familiar girlish cackle from my left side. "It sure is. And it could just be the lack of options talking, but he's a cutie."

No matter how agile my movements were they couldn't completely silence the sounds my boot heels made. This guy was a jumpy one alright. As I approached his wide and terrified eyes met my own. He'd be an easy up-sell.

"Ar-are you Gwen?" he asked as he stood up and raised his hand.

I observed his outstretched gesture for a moment before I swiftly pulled over a stool and sat atop it. Sable jumped on to the chair that'd been intended for myself. The guy, a skinny one with brown messy hair who was probably in his thirties, stood there with his outstretched hand a moment longer before he pulled his chair and sat down.

"Okay.. so ummm…" he babbled as he scratched his head and tried to hold my gaze. Something few could do. My eyes were so light blue they looked like ice and filled onlookers with unease similar to a Pokémon with intimidate, or at least that's what Esmeralda told me. Sable furthered the guy's unease by focusing her blood red eyes on him.

"You got a job for me?" I asked flatly. No need to beat around the bush. "I want double what we agreed on over the phone."

"But! No! What-"

"You failed to mention the complete severity of your issue. Yes, I've looked into it."

The guy stared at me for a moment. "But, my family…"

"Your family is anything but safe," I said as I leaned in. I saw a bead of sweat roll down the side of his head as our eyes locked. My reputation definitely preceded me. "Pokémon are very smart. They don't forget. And you pissed off a tribe of _Scyther_. I know they got your sister's family already. So, you can either pay double or I'll be on my way."

I leaned back and observed the guy's reaction. He looked like he wanted to protest but every time he opened his mouth his voice seemed to escape him. I noticed his eyes focus in and out. I'd painted the image of lost families on the minds of many before. Plus, this guy was particularly easy.

"The cops won't do anything," I said as I broke eye contact and looked over at Sable. Her own eyes didn't stray from the guy as I scratched behind her ear. "They can't with the mass of no hunting laws. And your town's too small to even appear on most maps which means your police force consists of two maybe three guys. Wilds aren't bound by any laws. All them Scyther know is you burned down their home and killed their young. Now, you can look for someone else but I assure you, I'm right for the job. People have forgotten how vicious wilds can be. Rangers and what nots just believe we gotta be kind to them. Make them our _friends_. Well, while they work on that I'm sure you'll be busy trying to decide which your wife and kids woulda preferred; grave of cremation-"

"Enough!" the guy said loud enough to momentarily draw attention to our corner of the bar. "My sister and her husband…. Their just…"

"Ribbons," I finished. "Yeah, that'll happen. So about that fee."

"Fine," he conceded. "I've already tried to hire some trainers to do the job but…"

"They fled with their tails between their legs," I smirked.

"And you'll get them all?" he asked. He looked in my direction, but didn't meet my eyes dead on.

Sable smiled with bared teeth and faintly glowing rings. Esmeralda, who was hovering invisibly above us, cackled cheerily. I leaned over and brushed all the hair out of my face.

"Every. Last. One."

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_Author's Note_

_Part one of a two part intro._

_Yes, my mind goo has concocted something else. Obv Feather Head is still my number one, but I just couldn't help but type this out. Not sure if I'll lose interest after I complete the intro but here it is._

_Review and let me know what you think :)_


	2. Green Tribe

This town, if you could call it that, was such a Rattata nest. Shabby cabins and some farm fields were all that made it up. No wonder a tribe of Scyther had decided to try and take it back, the strongest Pokémon I'd seen were only used for pulling carts. It was one of those settlements that were too small to show up on most Kanto maps.

I leaned against my client's house and looked up. The March morning sky was clear and grey. The air would hold an uncomfortable chill to most, but temperature rarely bothered me. I was more concerned with the amount of light. Scyther were strict diurnal hunters that would be active soon. Today would be a clear and dry day; perfect for a bug hunt.

The client's house bore marks of Scyther torment. These demons wanted revenge. They wanted revenge specifically on the guy that'd hired me. Sure they'd finished with his sister fast enough, but only to frighten him. I knew how a Scyther brain worked; they'd torment they're enemy for exactly a week before finally putting their prey out of its misery. His house was essentially a scratching post.

I didn't have to look over to feel that Orion had joined me. He never entered my thoughts; I could just sense his presence.

"This town's cops gonna wake any time soon?" I asked.

Orion smirked and slightly shook his head once; his sharp Gallade teeth showing.

"Alright then," I said as I pushed myself off the wall. "Lets meet up with the others. I want this done in an hour."

Orion nodded slightly and held out his green hand. I touched it with the tips of my own fingers and we teleported away. My vision was momentarily static, like an old television set, before it returned to normal. We'd moved a few yards away and were now surrounded by the woods and my team. The trees were plenty high enough to still tower over my tallest Pokémon.

I examined the surroundings. This area was definitely Scyther claimed. The tribe had marked every tree in their territory with those blasted blades and wings of theirs. Still, I'd never seen a tribe claim so much land before.

"Ez, you around?" I asked the air. She wasn't mine and she'd sometimes disappear for weeks at a time.

With a sigh at her nickname the witchy voice replied, "I am here."

She then materialized in the center of the loose ring my team made. Orion shifted uneasily beside me; he was never comfortable around ghosts. I didn't blame him, either. There was something eerie in those red and yellow Mismagius eyes, like the ghost was planning something evil for you that involved turning your flesh inside out. Her body looked like an old and tattered violet cloak that always rippled faintly in the wind, even when there was no hint of a breeze.

"You gonna help us out today?" I asked as I removed my long black trench coat and threw it with my other belongings. My red tank revealed my long thin arms that exhibited the scars of many fights passed. They didn't bother me. It was like a scrapbook of experiences etched into my form.

"I suppose I might as well," Esmeralda said as she did a slow summersault in the air. "Nothing better to do today. Plus it looks like it'll be quite the gore fest," she added slyly.

"You've seen the tribe?" I asked as I sorted through my weapons collection and decided which would be most appropriate.

"I guess I have," Esmeralda said with a cackle. "They're sixteen strong."

"What? Sixteen? Tribes are never that big," I said as I swung around to confront her. In fact, there were very few Scyther tribes at all. The vast majority of Scyther lived independent lives. On occasion you'd see groups of maybe five max, and I'd heard of one with nine or ten.

"That's right," Esmeralda said as she played with her own translucency.

The five members of my team that were around shifted uneasily. Trinity pawed the ground, Sable's hackles raised, Drail shifted his weight, Orion stiffened, and O'Malley rustled his wings. There was no sign of Tweak.

"It's fine," I said as I returned to my tools. "We've dealt with Scyther before. This will be no different."

I pulled out one of my favourite weapons, I'd made it myself. It was something of a sword and shield in one. Made of Skarmory feathers meant it was light, durable, and effective. I attached it to my left arm and picked up my Kabutops blade. It was heavier then my Scyther blade but, against the attacking Scyther, it's rock type structure would give me the advantage. It was the most valuable piece of my collection, as the species was considered extinct.

"You're not going like that are you?" Esmeralda asked in an indifferent tone as she looked me over. "They're going to tear you to shreds. Literally."

"I'm fast," was all I replied. I'd need the maneuverability that a lack of amour offered.

Hunting was so much easier in the old days before guns and explosives were outlawed. If you looked hard enough you could still find them on the black market, but you'd be spending a lot of time behind bars if and when you were found with them in your possession. The police had a number of Abram and Natu just teleporting all over in search of them. The blasted things probed brains at will in search of any hint that the objects might be around.

"Okay guys, you know the drill," I said, as I looked everyone in the eye. "And Tweak, you around or what?"

As I spoke the name I noticed the rustling above and felt a weight land on my shoulder. I looked over and smiled slightly at the bug on my arm that murmured quietly and happily.

"Caterpie, eh? Well you know the drill. Hop on Sable and find the biggest and meanest looking Scyther, then do your thing. Try for the head female if you can," I said as I bent over to pat my approaching Umbreon. "Sable, this fight isn't for you. I mean it," I said as my Umbreon arched her back and hissed. "You're out of your element. I want you to drop Tweak off and get back here."

Sable looked me in the eye and raised her hackles. I raised an eyebrow as I regarded her left ear that was missing a large chunk.

"Fine," I conceded. "But you know when you've hit your limit. Just get back here when you do."

My Umbreon was smart and sly. She knew her own limits, too. Tweak jumped on her back and they became a black silhouette that darted almost invisibly from shadow to shadow. Faint Attack wasn't as effective as Teleport, but it was damn close enough. The whole reason I'd added her to my team was because she'd inherited Odor Sleuth from her Growlithe pops. A move almost useless to most trainers but perfect for what I did.

"Drail, you're on guard duty here with our stuff," I said as I walked over to my Rhyperior. At about 14 feet tall he easily towered over me. "I know it sucks but you can't do much to help us. Those parasites are bloody quick."

Drail growled deeply and closed his eyes. He was my tank, but the tribe would dance around him here. Still, if anyone got injured he offered a safe location to return to. Just because he couldn't land a hit, doesn't mean the Scyther would dare take him on.

"Trinity, it's up to you to lock 'em in," I said to my Rapidash.

She neighed silently in return. She was no award winner. Her mother was a racer and her father was a working Tauros. Only pure breeds had that perfectly white coat often associated with the species. Trinity was more of a light orangey-brown. But she was fine by me cause her bloodline turned her into a speedy powerhouse.

"And O'Malley," I said as I approached my tall dragon. "You're on aerial support. I don't want any of those things using their wings to their advantage."

O'Malley growled and nodded. I was probably one of the few who favored Dragonite over the other dragons these days. Sure, Garchomp and Salamence have a tougher bite, but a Dragonite'll never turn on you. You can have a Garchomp for twenty plus years and then, out of the blue, it'll decide it's bored of its human bonds and make you a meal. Plus, Dragonite had the best endurance. It's said the fastest Dragonite could circle the globe in 16 hours. The fastest one ever actually documented made it in 22 hours. O'Malley could do it in 25.

"And what about me?" Esmeralda said, though I couldn't tell from where as she was invisible.

"Would ya listen to me anyways?"

"I suppose not."

I looked up at the sky. Today was exactly one week from the day my client had pissed of the green demons. Today, for the sake of my paycheck, they had to die.

The temperature raised a couple degrees. It was time.

I hunched over, ready to sprint. Orion did the same; his blades glowed with psychic energy. Esmeralda cackled invisibly from some distance ahead. O'Malley stretched out his wings and prepared to take to the air. Surely Tweak and Sable had found their target already. Trinity turned in the direction she'd take off in but watched me for the signal.

A minute passed.

Two minutes.

Three minutes. The Scyther must have slept in.

Four minutes. Drail murmured impatiently. I hissed for complete silence.

Five minutes. The Kabutops blade was starting to feel heavy.

Six minutes. I narrowed my eyes on the woods. The tribe would attack together, but they would see us before we could see them. That said, Orion would sense their minds before they saw us.

Seven minutes. It occurred to me how dead silent this part of the forest was.

Eight minutes.

Orion gave a barely audible hiss and he and I sped into the woods together. The same instant Trinity set her flames to full power and sped off. I knew O'Malley was already in the air.

Hisses of surprise and rage met my ears, though I still had no idea where the tribe was. Orion suddenly stopped and I took his back. The invisible Scyther yelled in fury as flames appeared in the distance. A perfect circle of tall fire and black smoke created an inescapable battlefield.

"Gotta love Fire Spin," I smirked.

That pissed them off.

In a second five pairs of blades were headed for my throat. I brought my silver shield up to counter three of them while my rock blade met the fourth. The fifth that belonged to a particularly small hissing and spitting green demon now lay of the ground completely severed from their owner. Orion had teleported above the charging bug and removed its main weapons.

I saw another two charge at my Gallade before the four that were circling me consumed my peripheral vision. Hunting Scyther hate not making a kill on their first try. It both confuses and infuriates them.

Most people couldn't track Scyther movements, nor could they react quickly enough to last beyond the first slash. I was not most people.

Three dove at me, almost at the exact same second. My shield blocked one, nicked another, and my blade beheaded the last. The two, the joined by a third, didn't hesitate as much as they moved to slash me. The four of us seemed to dance for a minute as we tried to get at each other's necks. Humans were pretty weak all over but it was still Scyther instinct to go for the throat. Likewise, beheading a Scyther was the fasted way to finish them off. Their exoskeletons were hard for one thing. And maiming them won't put them out of commission for another. Take all their arms and they'll use their razor sharp toes, take off their feet and they've still got razor sharp wings, even their head spikes can do some serious damage.

I beat one with a shield and knocked it into another. To my luck the second was anything but forgiving and sliced off the right leg of it's ally. The cry of pain offered a momentary distraction that allowed me to slide my blade though a joint in my main attacker's shoulder and pierce its heart. Before the two legged one's attention returned to myself it disappeared in a blur a yellow-orange scales. The left over one tried to fly away but the remains of its torn up friend showered down upon it and a blade took off one of its wings. A toss of my rock blade finished it.

What I caught almost a second too late was another Scyther coming at me from the canopy behind. I sensed it with enough time to bring up my shield and block most of its charge. Unfortunately it turned its scythe unexpectedly and gave me a nice long slash down my arm.

Another swift motion would have left me headless had its blade not met that of another. The opposing Scyther backed off as a larger Scyther positioned itself between it and myself. I used the distraction to tear off half my shirt and tie up as much of my wound as I could.

The smaller Scyther hissed in confusion at my protector who, in a very unScyther-like manor, gave a giant smile and waved its blades before it attacked. Blades clanged against blades but the larger had an advantage. It looked like the smaller was going to make a break for it when it was suddenly smashed into a tree by a giant charging fireball.

Fire, the next best way to take out Scyther.

The Scyther cried in pain for a moment before it went dead silent. Trinity released her mass of surrounding flames and shook the dead figure off her long horn.

Then Orion teleported to her side just in time to slice the head off a Scyther that was aimed for her flanks.

"Haven't had this much fun in a while," I heard Esmeralda cackle. I turned around to see three Scyther stumbling around between her and Sable. The lot of them were both confused and psychically controlled.

"Ez, come on," I shouted.

"Oh pshaw," she said as she made the lot of them behead each other at the same time. "Satisfied?"

I rolled my eyes and looked around. Then Orion appeared at my side and nodded slightly. I let my body relax. It was done.

"Trinity, signal O'Malley," I said.

My Rapidash nodded and sent a massive Flamethrower into the sky. There was a bellow from above in return. A minute thereafter it started to rain. Trinity near molded herself to a tree but the showers weren't that heavy. A combination of the rain and Water Pulse put the flame ring out. There would be a lot of damage, but the job was done.

I slumped against a tree and tended to my wound. I felt the heavy footsteps of Drail making his way over. O'Malley landed beside me and bent his head down to inspect my arm.

"I'm fine, just get Tweak to help you with the flames," I said through gritted teeth. The wound was deeper then I would have liked.

Tweak, in its borrowed Scyther form darted up to me. It dropped some first-aid supplies in my lap, gave a large smile, then turned to O'Malley. Its whole body shimmered with white light as its form shrunk and liquefied. It returned to its purple Ditto form for a second before it turned into an exact replica of O'Malley. The real Dragonite nodded and kicked off the ground with his clone right behind.

I continued to tend to my wound as Esmeralda drifted over to me with an 'I-told-you-so' expression on her face.

"Well, we'll have to do that more often," she said cheerily.

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_Author's Note_

_First and foremost: as many of my older readers know I always rewrite the first chapter of fics at some point. That will definitely happen with this one. When I write new fics I try to change my writing style slightly but I take a lot of advice from my reviews and fix things up. After I do that both this chapter and the previous will prob be combined. That said, nothing major will change. Just a clean up to make things less confusing. _

_On another note, it's good to be back. I am so behind of both reading a writing. I had a seasonal job that was all consuming. And tomorrow I start school. Busy busy busy. Sorry for everyone who's wondering where my reviews on their stories are, it'll still be a while before I'm all caught up. I've also been doing odd drawings and stuff, some of which are on my DeviantART account. _

_I'm going to be jumping between Feather Head and this fic probably because I know what I'm going to do with FH and I have a lot of ideas for this now. Salvation will be on a break for a while, though I do have ideas for it too. _

_Huge thanks to my reviewers! You guys are great and keeping my both inspired and helping me know when I'm not making sense. _

_**- Define-originality**_

_Okay, so I'm way behind on your fic but now things are kinda turned around. Before you were worried about copying Priya's team, now I'm worried about copying yours. I haven't caught up on who has what but last I read there was the Ponyta possibility. I hope you don't think Trinty the Rapidash is riping you off, she was just really handy for the the kinds of Pokemon Gwen needs. And I'll clean up the witch hint, too :)_

_**- Stonekipsta**_

_Yeah I like trying different things. I'm trying to improve my writing skills in doing so. Thanks for always pointing out the confusion, it's a mega huge help! (they were just gross men)_

_- __**Chaison**_

_I will take that waffle and eat it too! Thanks a bunch! I was wondering if this type of story would appeal to any of the Pokemon fans b/c it's kinda way out there. (mmmmm awesome flavoured waffles)_


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